The present invention relates to a safety coupler and, more particularly to a safety coupler, that is especially suited for situations in which a quick release would be desirable, such as when connecting straps or the like to an animal halter or bridle for tying the animal to a post, equipment, including a trailer, or the like.
When tying down large animals, such as a horse, the animal is typically placed in a halter with one or more ropes or straps secured to the halter on one end and secured on another end to a fixed structure, such as a post, including a barn post, a fence, a trailer, or the like. Each rope is typically secured to the halter using a coupler or snap. Conventional snaps include a ring member through which the strap or rope extends and a hook member which is rotatably mounted to the ring member and which secures to the halter of the animal. The hook member is rotatably mounted to the ring member to permit the rope or strap to rotate freely with respect to the halter. Most snaps include a latch mechanism of some sort, which closes the hook member on the halter. Thus, snaps provide a quick way to secure the rope or strap to the halter.
When tied, cross-tied, or trailer tied, large animals, and most notably horses, are easily spooked. It could be as simple as someone walking by or the sound of something falling that could trigger the animal into a panic. Once spooked, these larger animals pull on the rope or strap tying them down. As the animal feels more resistance in the rope, the animal tends to pull harder eventually breaking either the halter, snap, rope, or the structure to which the rope is tied, thus exposing the animal, the structure, and any persons in the vicinity of the animal to risk of damage or injury. Further, when the animal finally breaks free the risk of flight is quite high. In contrast, when the tension on the rope is quickly released, a spooked animal will often quickly calm down and is far less likely to run off.
Historically, snaps have not provided a quick way to release a strap or a rope from an animal when the animal is panicked or excited. Recently, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,190, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, safety couplers have been designed to incorporate a release mechanism so that the hook member can release from the ring member through the pivot opening in the ring member when a preselected force is applied to either the hook or the ring member without breaking either member and, further, in a manner to permit the hook member to be reinserted into the pivot opening of the ring member. While facilitating repeated use of the coupler, the components providing the release mechanism are not as durable as the components forming the hook or ring members, which are typically brass.
Consequently, there is a need for a coupler or snap that can securely couple a strap or rope to a halter of an animal or the like so that the animal can be tied off and yet provide a quick release in the event that the animal tries to break free before the animal becomes too panicked or the halter, strap, or rope or structure is stressed to the point of failure. Furthermore, it is desirable that the coupler comprise components that are as durable as conventional non-releasable snaps or couplers.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a safety coupler that includes a release mechanism, which provides a quick release between two components of a swivel coupler or snap.
In one form of the invention, a safety coupler includes a first member, which forms a closed loop for coupling to a first item, and a second member that includes a hook and is coupled to the first member. The second member is rotatably mounted to the first member in a transverse opening provided through a portion of the first member so that the hook can swivel about the first member. The hook is provided for coupling to a second item whereby the first item is coupled to the second item by the safety coupler. The second member includes a releasable connection such that when a force having a selected magnitude is applied to one of the first and second members generally along the hook""s axis of rotation, the first member and the second member decouple thereby decoupling the first and second items.
In one aspect, the second member includes a pin and first and second stops. The pin extends through the transverse opening of the first member with the first and second stops being positioned on opposite sides of the transverse opening for abutting the first member to limit axial movement of the pin through the first opening.
In further aspects, the second member includes an end portion and a base portion, with the end portion rotatably coupling the second member to the first member. The releasable connection is provided between the end portion and the base portion. For example, the end portion may include the pin and first and second stops, with the pin rotatably coupled to the first member in the transverse opening and being axially restrained in the transverse opening by the stops. Furthermore, the end portion may include a socket, with the base portion including a pin, with the pin releasably journaled in the socket and forming the releasable connection. In a further aspect, the pin of the base portion includes a groove, which cooperates and releasably engages a groove in the socket to thereby releasably couple the pin in the socket.
According to another aspect of the invention, the safety coupler includes a first member and a second member as noted above. The second member includes a rod portion, a hook portion, and an end portion which comprises a pin and a pair of stops. The pin extends through the transverse opening of the first member and rotatably couples the rod portion and the hook portion to the first member about an axis so that the hook portion can swivel with respect to the first member. The stops axially restrain the pin in the transverse opening of the first member. The hook portion is for coupling to a second item whereby the first item is coupled to the second item by the safety coupler. The end portion of the second member releases from the rod portion when a force having a pre-selected magnitude is applied to either the first member or the second member along the axis thereby uncoupling the two items.
In one aspect, the end portion includes a snap-fit connection with a rod portion to form a releasable connection between the end portion and the rod portion. For example, the end portion may include a socket, with the rod portion including a pin, which is releasably mounted in the socket to thereby releasably couple the end portion to the rod portion.
These and other objects and features will become more apparent from the study of the drawings in connection with the description of the preferred embodiments which follow.